Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 108721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Bel bounces back, hands up in surrender. “Whoa, ninja, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.”
My heart is still clogging my throat, leaving me unable to speak once I realize it’s her. When I shake the fear off, I brace my free hand against my belly and breathe. Crap. She wouldn't have scared me so much if I hadn't been thinking about Yanov literally two seconds ago.
Once I catch my breath and my heart rate returns to a normal rhythm, I give her a small smile. “No, it's okay. Sorry I’m so jumpy. I don’t know what’s gotten into me,” I lie.
She smiles, dropping her hands. “Don’t apologize, girl. You have no reason to be sorry. If anything, it’s me who should be sorry. For my brother's shitty attitude and poor manners.”
I frown. “I didn't mean to ruin your dinner.”
She waves me off. “You didn’t ruin anything. He did. Plus, he was super late and irritated before you even appeared.”
I let out a long sigh, finally feeling calmer. “Yeah. Okay.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Do I want to talk about the fact that my super-hot boss, who I want to climb like a tree, is disgusted by my presence? No. Not really.
“I don’t see the point in talking about it. It seems pretty straightforward to me. No need to beat a dead horse.”
She tilts her head to study me. “Are you sure? I thought something was developing between you two.”
“We aren’t even friends, Bel. He's been kind most of the time, but that's it. And that’s probably only because you and I are friends.”
I'm not sure if she buys it. A glint of suspicion lingers in her eyes. “Okay, well, would you want to go”—she waves at my still mostly full coffee—“get some food with that coffee?”
This is to keep me awake, in the hopes I can try to sleep in my own room tonight. Sleeping on the floor in the closet is killing me. Not that I'm about to tell her that. “I would love to, but I had a late lunch.”
We stand together on the sidewalk. I can feel her gaze roving over me, but I can’t look at her. “Did you need something else?”
She shakes her head, and then a shadow cuts between us. I nearly startle but calm myself when I see it’s just Drew, her obsessed boyfriend, walking up behind her. He snakes an arm around her waist and tugs her back into his chest. She smiles, and I can see the love shining in her eyes. His nose skims the side of her throat, and his lips move against her ear, but I don’t know what he says.
Whatever it is makes Bel’s cheeks pinken.
Pulling back with a smirk, he finds my eyes immediately, pinning me to the spot. “Elyse, right?”
I nod once, swallowing nervously. It's not an easy thing being the focus of Drew's attention. I'm not sure how Bel can stand it.
“What's going on?” he questions, sensing my dismay.
Bel chimes in first. “Sebastian. He’s being an asshole again, so I'm being a good friend and making sure I don’t have to get a shovel and start digging him an early grave.” She winks at me.
Drew's gaze roves over me again, but not in a sexual way. It’s more like he’s assessing me. “Unfortunately, asshole is his default setting. All I can say is don't take it personally. It’s definitely a Sebastian problem and no one else’s.”
I shrug. “Yeah, I don't. If I did, then I’d be in a mental hospital with the shit he puts me through, but anyway… you two get back to doing whatever it is you were doing.”
Bel reaches out and snags my free hand. “Wait. Please. Are you sure you're okay? Is there anything we can do to help?”
Drew glances at her over her head like he did not sign up for helping the maid, but Bel plows on, oblivious to him. “I mean it. We're friends, and I'm here for you.”
I nod once, trying to give her the smile that I know will ease some of her worries. “I’m okay, Bel. I’ve dealt with worse people in my life than your brother. He can’t say or do anything that hasn’t already happened to me or that I haven’t heard at least once before.” Even as I say the words, the echo of him calling me nothing plays on repeat in my head.
It's going to be a while until I come to terms with it. It doesn't matter. I've done my best to avoid him lately, and I'll continue to do so until my debt is paid or I find another way to clear it and get out of this whole terrible town.
Bel sighs, and Drew tugs her hand away from mine. “I know you want to save everyone, but you can’t. Leave the girl alone, Wallflower.”